Chocolate not Coffee Protects Heart

Chocolate and coffee are natural bed-fellows, combined throughout the western world in coffee shops, mochas, and cold iced drinks.  The effects upon the neural system may have similarities, however, their effects upon the heart and cardiovascular system couldn't be more different.

Recently published research by Vlachopoulos from Athens Medical School looked at the effect of both stimulants upon the arterial stiffness of otherwise healthy patients.  The findings demonstrate that arterial stiffness is reduced after eating chocolate, whilst related findings indicated dilation of the arterial system after ingestion of coffee.

Chocolate could help the cardiovascular system

Aznaouridis, of the Athens Alexandria Hospital, found that arterial dilation, whilst it occured with decaffinated coffee alongside caffinated coffee, returned to normal levels rapidly after drinking decaffinated coffee, in contrast to the caffinated versions.

The findings do indicate some potentially beneficial aspects of ingesting chocolate, however, there are a multitude of other effects of eating chocolate, including potential weight gain and hyperglycemia.  For these reasons, modifying your diet to include a large quantity of chocolate may be counterproductive.  It is essential that further research and risk analysis is performed to determine the overall effect of chocolate, and the groups for which any benefit is present.

Chocolate is a complex stimulant derived from plant sources and combined with sugars to make it more palatable.  It is a natural stimulant and, is involved in the dopamine neural pathway, and is potentially addictive.

References: ScienceNews, NutraIngredients, Hypertension Journal